When I get mad I save money :o)

I have been in quite the conundrum when choosing a dress, I wanted something that would flatter my shapely size 14/16 body, I wanted to TRY it on in the store, and I wanted it to be budget friendly, I mean that's not a lot to want right, BULL SH.T!  I write this while I am still infuriated.  It all started out with one dress, the great gorgeous figure flattering La Sposa Fanal.

Pretty dress, right?  Gorgeous dress, has everything that this Mocha Frugalista wanted in a color, and it was over budget, but hey what's 500.00 extra bucks in the name of couture fashion, right?  That was my first mistake. I should have stepped back and slapped myself or at least shook myself like I do for my clients.

I seriously needed to be talked off the ledge.  Even I, a seasoned professional, fell into the "one special day hype" -- sorry for the aside back to my riveting story -- So I called four states (FOUR STATES) looking for this dress in a size that would go down over my thighs (notice I didn't say button, I said go down over my thighs!!!!!!!!!!!)  Here were the results:

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  Arkansas size 10
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  Louisiana size 12, 14
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  Mississippi size 10
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  Texas size 10 (in five different stores!!)

Now, yes the size 14 probably would have gone over my thighs in all fairness, BUT I was so disgusted by that point that I didn't want to waste the time going for a disappointment and knowing that other size 14s didn't go down at all from the same designer.  I decided then and there that the wedding gown industry would not get my money.  I have tried on over 40 gowns at this point, and I am done with being made to feel inferior.  I understand that I am a larger size, but I'm the average size in this country. I am actually going to the gym and working out 5+ times a week, not to fit into an industry standard, to tone up and just be an overall better me, so I am not saying that is acceptable or unacceptable to be the size that I am, I am only saying that dress designers and boutiques should not make over half of the population feel inferior or discouraged.

Now, there were rays of sunshine, the Essence of Australia "Naja" was a wonderful dress and I loved it but she was almost $1100 more than I wanted to spend and that was just too much of a stretch for me to spend on a wedding dress.

Instead of continuing to crush my usually uber-confident self (some call it arrogant, lol), I began looking at a preowned dress site, thinking that "at least I could purchase a dress from another full-figured bride and give her some money back for a dress that I know would have cost her more because it is more fabric for the gown and was probably emotionally draining for her".  In other words not only are we made to feel fat and inferior in the stores, we are penalized further by paying a higher cost because of "fabric". You know what bridal industry this ones for you in the words of the pop icon, Madonna...  And forgive me but I am not going to be P.C. .

So yes, I have decided that I will spend about a third of what I was going to be hyped into spending because I couldn't try on a dress and I am going back to my frugalista's roots.  Now, don't feel bad for me at all (and errr don't cry for me argentina)  I will definitely get the sass and pizazz I want, and wear a designer gown that is 800+ in the stores for less than half that amount.  Now err who's crying?  Boo hoo hoo designers because you won't get this PHAT (pretty HAUTE and tempting) girl's money :o)... Instead I will save it for some kick butt vendors on Etsy who actually care about making the customer happy no matter what (yes in the words of my girl Sheree: whatever happened to customer service?  Whatever happened to the customer's always right?)  I guess in this industry it's whatever happened to the customer that's always the right SIZE...

I am currently in talks with the seller about the dress and after she and I come to terms and the purchase is made, I will post pictures of THE Dress and she is slim, ruched, ivory and has a scattering of crystals but not enough to overpower her.  I don't have a name for her yet, I never have a name until I try them on and see how I feel in them. I will still be doing a few custom things to her that I discovered I liked the last time I tried on a dress lol!  And the lovely beauty that I am negotiating will probably cost between $300-400.00!!!!  Cross your fingers and wish me luck because this time Monday I could have a wedding dress!!!